琉球群島位居日本、中國與台灣之間，是歐亞大陸及太平洋島鏈接壤之進出孔道，地理形勢堪稱十分重要。尤其自 14 世紀以來，琉球迭遭列強海權與陸權的激烈角逐，更凸顯歷史命運的發展實與其地緣政治的性格息息相關，甚而衍生至今猶須面臨「地位未定」的尷尬處境。不僅如此，琉球地位尚涉及日本、中國與台灣相關之釣魚台群島主權歸屬及東海海域劃界問題等國際爭議，並牽連東北亞整體安全保障之未來走向，誠未可等閒視之。有鑒於此，本文乃從國際法及國際政治的角度切入，試圖對琉球地位與東北亞之情勢演變予以檢討分析，冀能為相關研究提供些許的參考與助益。

The Ryukyu Islands are a chain of islands between Eurasia and the Pacific Ocean. Because of the importance of their geographic situation, the Ryukyu Islands have become a focus where many countries compete. Until today, many regard the legal position of the Ryukyu Islands as uncertain. Moreover, the Ryukyu issue also contains the dispute of the Diaoyu Islands, (which are regarded as parts of the Ryukyu Islands by Japan) among Japan, China and Taiwan and the security of Northeast Asia. Therefore, the Ryukyu issue is an important topic in international relations. This paper is intended to study the legal position of the Ryukyu Islands and the development of the northeast Asian situation from the viewpoints of international law and politics.